Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[Diggin It]

Chopper tailwheel fork... Looks like it did the trick.

Finish mower guide/gauge wheel; https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/417372-reclaiming-long-abandoned-rotary-cutters.html

Worked better than I expected considering what I started out with and not being able to get the forks flush to anything. With nearly everything at an angle, I had to be careful not to let anything jump out under pressure.

Noticed that the tip of the ram/press point is slightly mushroomed though. Seems they should have a hardened cap like their bottle jacks and porta power do. I guess the bottle jack used for applying pressure does, but I mean the down point that contacts the work piece.

 

[5030]

If the steel cap is worth crap, harden it yourself. Heat it with a gas axe to dull red and quench it in oil. If it has sufficient carbon content it will case harden. After it cools, reheat to 600 degrees using the gas axe again and a non contact IR thermometer and allow it to cool on it's own. That will normalize it and take any stress out of it. Pretty simple to do. You don't need quenching oil either, motor oil will do in a metal coffee can.

 

[4get gto]

If the steel cap is worth crap, harden it yourself. Heat it with a gas axe to dull red and quench it in oil. If it has sufficient carbon content it will case harden. After it cools, reheat to 600 degrees using the gas axe again and a non contact IR thermometer and allow it to cool on it's own. That will normalize it and take any stress out of it. Pretty simple to do. You don't need quenching oil either, motor oil will do in a metal coffee can.

Are we going to see you on "Forged In Fire..?

 

[5030]

Don't know what that even is... Anyone can do home brew heat treating so long as the steel is willing and you have the means to heat it sufficiently. Just steel however.

 

[MossRoad]

Don't know what that even is... Anyone can do home brew heat treating so long as the steel is willing and you have the means to heat it sufficiently. Just steel however.

Knife makers TV show....

Forged in Fire (TV series) - Wikipedia

 

[3Ts]

Don't know what that even is... Anyone can do home brew heat treating so long as the steel is willing and you have the means to heat it sufficiently. Just steel however.

I was under the impression that most steel (especially HF) is standard A12 and doesn't do heat treating all that well. I thought you had to get into the "O" (for oil quenching) or "W" (for water quenching) series steels for heat treating, or to use a carbon powder. Can you address heat treating a little more, maybe on a different thread. I'd be interested.

 

[crazyal]

Well I do have a FEL and lifting straps but....

My Powermatic with the 52" fence and custom take off table is on a mobile base and casters so I can move it around the shop, but picking it up is a whole nother story. All my shop tools are on mobile bases, but they don't leave the shop. Heck even my new panel saw is on wheels..

Glad to hear. I just bought a used PM66 from an auction and will be trying to get it into my basement. I was worried it would a bear but if it's as light as you guys say I'll do it by myself.

 

[BukitCase]

Al, IIRC the basic saw without long table or Beismeyer fence attached is around 350-400 pounds - if your situation is a bit dicey, you can remove the top and motor - but if you do that, the top is normally held to the base with three bolts - these have loose fitting holes, and control the relationship between the blade and the miter grooves. If you just loosen and remove them, you will need to realign when you reassemble. A slightly less painful way is to scribe lines marking the top/base positioning on ALL THREE bolt holes, BEFORE you loosen them. That way if the saw WAS aligned, you can get it back pretty close or exactly as it was.

Most of the PM66's had either Leeson or Baldor motors, if yours has something else there's a good chance it got swapped. My saw is a 3 horse, leeson motor and 3 belt drive.
There's quite a bit more to setting these up if you intend to do cabinet grade work; rather than waste good HF tool time, you can PM me if you don't already know this and want more... Steve

 

[John_Mc]

I was under the impression that most steel (especially HF) is standard A12 and doesn't do heat treating all that well. I thought you had to get into the "O" (for oil quenching) or "W" (for water quenching) series steels for heat treating, or to use a carbon powder. Can you address heat treating a little more, maybe on a different thread. I'd be interested.

I started a new thread: Heat Treating Steel in this Parts/Repairs section.

 

[hunt4570]

Glad to hear. I just bought a used PM66 from an auction and will be trying to get it into my basement. I was worried it would a bear but if it's as light as you guys say I'll do it by myself.

You may get away with a refrigerator dolly and a couple friends, I’ve done a lot that way.